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File image of a HSE ambulance. Photocall Ireland

Midleton ambulance call 'did not follow procedure' in the lead-up to 2-year-old's death

The death of two-year-old Vakaris Martinaitis was ruled an accidental death, but the National Ambulance Service has found problems with how the 999 call was dealt with.

THE REPORT INTO the failure to send an ambulance to an accident in Midelton in May has found “a deviation from procedure”.

Two-year-old Vakaris Martinaitis fell from an upstairs window at his house in the Cork town, later dying from his injuries.

The ambulance that was initially dispatched to his house was stood down when the 999 operator came to believe that he had suffered a simple fall.

Today, the National Ambulance Service released a 54-page report on the call, citing two key factors in the breakdown of communication.

First, it found that procedure was not followed and that the child’s condition was not appropriately assessed and that no advice was passed on to the caller.

It also found that the decision to stand down the ambulance was “not based on correct and complete information”.

Vakaris was brought to hospital in a neighbour’s car, but died from his injuries.

The report makes 11 recommendations including amendments to call-taking guidelines, communication training and changes to how control rooms are staffed.

The medical director of the NAS, Dr Cathal O’Donnell, says that welcomes the report.

“On behalf of the NAS I would like to express our sincere condolences to the family of Vikaris Martinaitis. Following Vikaris’s tragic death, I commissioned this independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the emergency call on 6 May. I welcome the publication today of this very comprehensive report.

“The NAS are committed to implementing and applying the learnings from the report it, in full, across our national network of Ambulance Control Centres.

Read: Council to hear emergency call for full inquiry into boy’s Midleton death

Read: “Black cloud over Midleton” after tragic death of toddler

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36 Comments
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    Mute Andrea Rock Massey
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    Aug 17th 2015, 7:35 AM

    Is anybody else having trouble opening the links provided?

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    Mute Robert Wriggit
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    Aug 17th 2015, 7:42 AM

    yep!

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:08 AM

    Hi Andrea – are you trying them on desktop, iOS or Android?

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    Mute Mairead Hynes
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:10 AM

    I’m on Android (lollipop), no links for me #sadface

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:11 AM

    Thanks Mairead – we’re looking into this right way, as it works on iOS and desktop.

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    Mute Jamie O'Connell
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:12 AM

    For me, it’s the Android Journal app.

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:15 AM

    Hi Jamie – thanks for the info, our tech team are looking into it. In the meantime, I know it’ s not ideal but if you do have access to the desktop site, (should work on your phone’s internet browser too outside of the app I think) then you can try there?

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 17th 2015, 9:00 AM

    Hi Andrea, it should be working now if you want to give it a try?

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    Mute Jennifer Reynolds
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:03 AM

    Nope, links won’t work. But I don’t actually care all that much because I got my first choice!! Helloooo primary school teaching in St Pats

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    Mute Margaret Daly
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:05 AM

    well done!

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    Mute Jennifer Reynolds
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:10 AM

    Thank you!

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    Mute E F Fanning
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    Aug 17th 2015, 7:43 AM

    No links will open for me.

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 17th 2015, 9:00 AM

    Hi there – it should be working on Android now, let me know if you have any more problems.

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    Mute E F Fanning
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    Aug 17th 2015, 10:03 AM

    Working now, thanks.

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    Mute Sinéad Cronin
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    Aug 17th 2015, 7:58 AM

    I went to another site to check points. Links not working all morning, not a morning anyone needs to be waiting for a never loading link!

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    Mute Eoin Hurley
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    Aug 17th 2015, 9:38 AM

    Just accepted my place at UCC in Pharmacy absolutely delighted!

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    Mute Rob Morgan
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    Aug 17th 2015, 9:51 AM

    Absolutely gutted , missed law and german by twenty points . Got 525 and the course moved up to 545 from 515. I got offered biopharmaceutical chemistry in galway which I’d strongly dislike to do as I know it’s not for me. Go to college to do a course I don’t want and move across the country or take a year out? Tough decision.

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    Mute JoJo
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    Aug 17th 2015, 10:09 AM

    Year out and work and save some money, life is too short to waste it studying something that doesn’t interest you.

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    Mute AN other
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    Aug 17th 2015, 11:11 AM

    Did you not apply for a similar level 6/7 course? I’d take that if I were you and then see about a transfer to the lv8 course

    I know somebody who couldn’t do his engineering course in UCC because despite having 500+ points he failed French…

    Now he has a masters in engineering from UCC as well as a degree, a diploma and a certificate from CIT.

    Imagine graduating 4 times lol

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    Mute Dr.Dylan Tierney
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:33 AM

    Course points have risen exponentially across the board. Let’s hope round 2 is more forgiving

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    Mute twit
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:11 AM

    To confirm… Not opening on Android OS

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 17th 2015, 9:01 AM

    Hi there, it should be working now.

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    Mute Fox Trot
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:10 AM

    android

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    Mute Mark Miller
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:10 AM

    Won’t open on android

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 17th 2015, 9:00 AM

    Hi Mark, it should be working on Android now.

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    Mute Tammy Ní Laoire
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    Aug 17th 2015, 8:34 AM

    Still won’t open on Android!

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    Aug 17th 2015, 9:00 AM

    Hi Tammy, should be working now!

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    Mute Maura Tansey
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    Aug 17th 2015, 3:20 PM

    Taught a fetac level 5 would guarantee a place in nursing???? got 10 destinations. . trying to get through on phones”(

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    Mute Larry L'Oiseau
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    Aug 17th 2015, 7:33 PM

    Please tell me that was an autocorrect error Maura ?

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